Travel Advice - Egypt 2024

[iamtheman]

Hey guys, my friend and I are thinking of taking a trip to Egypt around May. We're both really interested in history and want to see all the ancient sites. But I've heard some mixed things about safety and scams there. For those of you who have been, would you recommend Egypt for first time travelers? Are there any destinations we absolutely have to visit and local food to try? Also, if we rent a car, do many companies provide dash cams now? Safety is definitely a top priority for us. Any advice you have would be really appreciated!

 

[boromir]

hope you're not a woman. Travel in groups, it seems like what most people do.

 

[Nigel]

would you recommend Egypt for first time travelers?

Lots of people like Egypt, the place and the people, but like boromir suggests, sticking to organised tours is probably wise for the inexperienced.

You could try somewhere easier first, maybe somewhere that you can speak the language so that you get to know how things work when traveling.

want to see all the ancient sites.

Human history in Britain goes back half a million years, that is fairly ancient, plenty to see from all eras of history.

 

[Panzer Platform]

US State Department
Travel Advisory July 13, 2023
Egypt - Level 3: Reconsider Travel
Reconsider travel to Egypt due to terrorism.
Exercise increased caution in Egypt due to the Embassy’s limited ability to assist dual national U.S.-Egyptian citizens who are arrested or detained.

Egypt International Travel Information

Egypt international travel information and Travel Advisory

travel.state.gov

Even Bond found Egypt dangerous;

 

[kamkar]

Well many a tourist destination are plagued with conmen and swindlers, and what is worse.
Even here in the EU those do not have to come from a far flung place, most likely they are from another EU country,,,,,, which i find immensely sad.
Some British guy on trial here took all of Denmark to the cleaners to the tune of way past a billion Dollars, and the conviction he look to get,,,,,,, a insult to me.
But you will also find Romanian / Latvian and so on pick pockets and industrialized beggars here.

 

[iamtheman]

hope you're not a woman. Travel in groups, it seems like what most people do.

I am also considering this one, since I am travelling with my friend who are two girls.

 

[iamtheman]

US State Department
Travel Advisory July 13, 2023
Egypt - Level 3: Reconsider Travel
Reconsider travel to Egypt due to terrorism.
Exercise increased caution in Egypt due to the Embassy’s limited ability to assist dual national U.S.-Egyptian citizens who are arrested or detained.

Egypt International Travel Information

Egypt international travel information and Travel Advisory

travel.state.gov

Even Bond found Egypt dangerous;

Thank you for this travel advisory, it's kinda scary about those advisory but would it be better to get travel guides who knows alot about Egypt like this?? https://gowithguide.com/egypt or this https://www.egypttoursportal.com/ you think it way more safer just to book a travel guide? what do you think? My friends really wanted to visit there despite of the advisory you posted.

Thank you for this advices! I appreciate.

 

[iamtheman]

Lots of people like Egypt, the place and the people, but like boromir suggests, sticking to organised tours is probably wise for the inexperienced.

You could try somewhere easier first, maybe somewhere that you can speak the language so that you get to know how things work when traveling.


Human history in Britain goes back half a million years, that is fairly ancient, plenty to see from all eras of history.

Yes, that's what we've been discussing that we should get an organised tours as @Panzer Platform advice about the advisory. I think it's really safer to get? do you have any recommendations?

and yes, Britain has a lot human history! We would definitely should add this on my lists to visit. Thank you!

 

[iamtheman]

Well many a tourist destination are plagued with conmen and swindlers, and what is worse.
Even here in the EU those do not have to come from a far flung place, most likely they are from another EU country,,,,,, which i find immensely sad.
Some British guy on trial here took all of Denmark to the cleaners to the tune of way past a billion Dollars, and the conviction he look to get,,,,,,, a insult to me.
But you will also find Romanian / Latvian and so on pick pockets and industrialized beggars here.

That's quite sad to hear. I hope we will get rid of them!

 

[Agie]

Thank you for this travel advisory, it's kinda scary about those advisory but would it be better to get travel guides who knows alot about Egypt like this?? https://gowithguide.com/egypt or this https://www.egypttoursportal.com/ you think it way more safer just to book a travel guide? what do you think? My friends really wanted to visit there despite of the advisory you posted.

Thank you for this advices! I appreciate.

I suggest detailed research because I've been to places that have had travel advisories and have been fine. It's up to you and how comfortable you are with the level of risk. Obviously group tours would be safer, but you could be in the wrong place at the wrong time in e.g. London, UK and be caught up in a terrorist incident. It's all a bit subjective unless it is an established area for terrorism.

The less populated locations increases your risk too, the old adage safety in numbers is helpful here.

 

[Panzer Platform]

My friends really wanted to visit there despite of the advisory

Don’t bother watching this video.
Just read the 415 comments.

This one is even worse with 56,599 comments.

 

[Nigel]

Just read the 415 comments.

A lot of inexperienced travellers making comments?

Since most tourists going to Egypt go to a rather small number of places, the tourist places are quite crowded, and apparently they had a record number of tourists last year, so it can't be too bad:

Egypt Sets New Record With 14.9 Million Tourists in 2023 - VisaGuide.News

A total of 14.9 million tourists were welcomed in Egypt last year, thus breaking the previous record of 14.7 million visitors registered in 2010. The figures from the Egypt Tourism Ministry show that the tourism industry remained unaffected by the Israel-Hamas war, VisaGuide.World reports...

visaguide.world

It is a very different culture to the USA though, I wouldn't recommend it as a first place to travel for people who haven't traveled outside their country before.

 

[ucan]

I went to Egypt a few summers ago in June, and honestly, the heat was overwhelming. If you’re planning to go in May, just be prepared for high temperatures—it can make sightseeing a bit exhausting. Many people recommend visiting during the winter months when the weather is much cooler and more comfortable for exploring ancient sites.

While Egypt has incredible history, I personally didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped. The constant haggling and occasional scams made it hard to fully relax and take in the experience. For this summer, I’m planning a trip to the River Country Water Park instead. I found a great place to stay there and really appreciate how easy it was to check out the resort overview for options.

If you do go to Egypt, stick to guided tours for safety and try the koshari—it’s a must-try dish.